Tuesday 8 October 2013

BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: After Hello by Lisa Mangum.


I'm very excited today as not only is it my 20th birthday, it's also my blog tour stop for After Hello by Lisa Mangum! I will be reviewing the book and hosting a tour wide giveaway.

To follow the rest of the tour, click the lovely banner above which will take you to the schedule.

---


Title: After Hello.
Author: Lisa Mangum.
Publisher: Shadow Mountain.
Genre: Young Adult.
Date of Publication: August 21, 2012.

Amazon ; B&N ; The Book Depository

What if the first day of your relationship was the only day you had?

Seventeen-year-old Sara is a seeker. She’s always on the lookout for the perfect moment to capture with her ever-present, point-and-shoot camera, especially on her first trip to New York City.

Sam is a finder. He has a knack for finding what other people can’t—a first-edition book or the last two tickets to a sold-out Broadway show. In New York, there is always something interesting to find.

When Sam and Sara’s paths cross, neither one of them is prepared for what they will find out about each other—and about themselves when they form an unlikely partnership in search of a seemingly elusive work of art. They have one day to find the impossible. Fate brought their talents together, but what happens when time runs out? Will love be able to overcome fate? This new novel from award-winning author Lisa Mangum explores what happens after hello.



Review:

I loved the idea of After Hello, and the premise that it was all set over a day. I expected a lot of drama and a book which was quick to read, and I believe Lisa Mangum delivered.

After Hello takes us through Sara’s day in New York City; the people she meets and the quests she finds herself on. She meets Sam, or rather captures him in a photograph, and the story is then written in alternative chapters, one from Sara’s perspective and one from Sam’s.

“My dad taught me never to talk to strangers,” she said lightly.

“We’re all strangers in the beginning.”

“Then what are we in the end?”


Generally, I love books which focus on more than one character. With After Hello, I did find it a little confusing at first because whilst Sara’s chapters are written in first person, Sam’s aren’t. However, once I got used to this style, it never really crossed my mind.

I thought After Hello was really sweet. It wasn’t a sickly romance, more telling the tale of what happens when two strangers meet, with friendship and more thrown in. I loved both main characters for different reasons. Sara for her mentality (and stubbornness!), and I found Sam’s perspective on the world really interesting.

Lisa Mangum did a great job of making this book stand out from the others in the Young Adult genre. The recurring theme throughout After Hello of the ‘trades’ (which I won’t go into as to not spoil the story) made this book really stand out, as well as the format of it just being over one day.

There were a couple of moments which I thought were a bit extreme and exaggerated. But it all added to the fast pace of the story.

All in all, I found After Hello really original, and a quality read. Even with the emotional stories told throughout, it always kept me smiling. It wasn’t a hard-hitting read like a lot seen in this genre, but I would definitely recommend it for any young person looking for a feel-good book.

Rating:

*I received an e-copy of this book for the blog tour in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

Lisa Mangum has loved and worked with books ever since elementary school, when she volunteered at the school library during recess. Her first paying job was shelving books at the Sandy Library. She worked for five years at Waldenbooks while she attended the University of Utah, graduating with honors with a degree in English. An avid reader of all genres, she has worked in the publishing department for Deseret Book since 1997.

Besides books, Lisa loves movies, sunsets, spending time with her family, trips to Disneyland, and vanilla ice cream topped with fresh raspberries. She lives in Taylorsville, Utah, with her husband, Tracy. She is the author of The Hourglass Door (which was named the 2009 YA Book of the Year by ForeWord Reviews), The Golden Spiral, The Forgotten Locket and After Hello.

Website ; Twitter

2 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for joining the tour, Sophie! And I'm glad you liked it. Fantastic review as well!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...